How is an umbilical hernia repaired?

Umbilical hernia repair surgery is usually performed under general or regional anaesthesia. Umbilical hernia repair is performed with a synthetic mesh in a process called hernioplasty. The hospital stay after umbilical hernia repair is less than two days, with full recovery within 4 weeks of the operation.

The causes of an umbilical hernia are mainly excessive physical strain from lifting heavy objects, persistent coughing or in many cases constipation. An umbilical hernia occurs in the area of the umbilicus and is most often caused by a tear in the inner wall of the abdominal cavity.

The problem occurs when part of the lining of the abdominal cavity squeezes through the tear to form a kind of balloon, causing severe pain. Asymptomatic umbilical hernias should not be operated on until they cause discomfort to the patient, as it is never recommended that anyone undergo surgery unless it is to improve their quality of life.

The technique for performing the umbilical hernia repair operation is hernioplasty, which is used to repair any type of abdominal hernia. The umbilical hernia repair operation is performed under general anaesthesia and is carried out in 3 steps.

• The surgeon makes an incision of between 5 and 10 centimetres in the area where the umbilical hernia is located, passing through the tissues until the defect is reached.
• Once the specialist accesses the hernia, he restores the position of the abdominal lining and then places a surgical mesh to correct the defect and prevent it from recurring.
• Finally, the incision is sutured and covered with a bandage.

The duration of the umbilical hernia repair surgery is approximately 30 to 40 minutes, being a fairly common and simple surgery for specialists.

After the operation, the hospital stay only lasts between one and two days, depending on each patient. Once at home, the patient is advised not to exert themselves physically for the next 4 weeks, taking care of the operation scar to avoid possible infections.